2012

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Gallup ME

25™

Trinity Lutheran Church

Member Engagement Survey Results

October 17, 2012 ®

GALLUP

This document contains proprietary research, copyrighted materials, and literary property of Gallup, Inc. It is for the guidance of your faith organization's leaders only and is not to be copied, quoted, published, or divulged 25™ to others outside of your organization. Gallup® and ME are trademarks of Gallup, Inc.

25™

Gallup ME

Member Engagement Survey Results

Trinity Lutheran Church

25

Introduction to the Gallup ME

Gallup and Measurement For over 70 years, Gallup has been developing instruments that measure the "unmeasurable." Gallup has developed systems that accurately measure the "soft numbers" -- including customer and employee engagement and other former "intangibles" -- that are keys to business success. Several years ago, Gallup confronted the challenge of measuring another "unmeasurable" -- spiritual engagement. Through its extensive 25 research on the subject, Gallup has designed an instrument -- the ME Member Engagement Survey -- that measures the spiritual health of congregations. Traditionally, congregations have measured themselves primarily by their attendance, membership, and monetary giving. While these statistics are important, they are outcomes, not causes, of a congregation's spiritual health -- they can be influenced by nonspiritual 25™ factors such as demographics and location. Gallup's ME goes to the heart of an individual's and a congregation's engagement and spiritual commitment, giving congregations a clear picture of their spiritual health. Such a picture is crucial, for Gallup's research confirms that spiritual health drives all other factors -- including attendance and financial commitment -- in a congregation's life. 25

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What the ME Measures The ME consists of 25 items: 9 items that measure individual spiritual commitment, 12 that measure member engagement, and 4 outcome items about life satisfaction, inviting, serving, and giving. The Spiritual Commitment items are individual and personal, while the Member Engagement items indicate how strongly one feels a sense of belonging within the congregation. Members who are highly engaged are more likely to give more money to their congregations, and to volunteer more hours per week to help and serve others. They are also more likely to invite others to participate, and to be more satisfied with the conditions of their lives. The same is true of members who are more spiritually committed. Member Engagement. Items E01 through E12 measure how engaged members are in the life of the congregation. If a congregation has high Spiritual Commitment scores, its scores on the 12 Engagement items will reveal whether it is a congregation of excellence or one that is just average. Engagement is divided into four areas, each building upon the other, in a hierarchy of engagement. The first area is "What do I get?" and includes items E01 and E02. It is important that these two items receive high scores, because they form the base of the pyramid. The base must be strong if the rest of the pyramid is to stand. The second level is "What do I give?" and includes items E03 through E06. The third level is "Do I belong?" and includes items E07 through E10. The top of the pyramid is "How can we grow?" and includes items E11 and E12. It is natural for new members to look to fulfill their engagement needs at the bottom of the pyramid before they look to fulfill needs at the middle and the top. As members move toward greater engagement, they will look to fulfill needs toward the top of the pyramid. However, there is interplay between the items at various levels, and individuals identify and prioritize needs on different areas of the pyramid as their engagement level changes. From the congregational perspective, the Engagement items are the most actionable items on the survey, and steps taken to improve scores on these items will have a positive impact on spiritual commitment as well. Spiritual Commitment. The real "bottom line" of a congregation is producing spiritually committed individuals. Items C01 through C09 measure a person's spiritual commitment, in terms of both attitudes and behaviors. Members of a congregation with high scores on spiritual commitment and low scores on member engagement have limited ways to express and live out their spirituality in the midst of their congregation. If the congregation increases the level of engagement among these individuals, it will unleash a powerhouse of potential for fulfilling its mission. Likewise, a congregation of highly engaged yet moderately committed members would do well to focus on the basics of expectations and meeting spiritual needs in order to increase the commitment level of its members, thereby dramatically increasing its potential. Outcomes. Items O1 through O4 are the measurable outcomes of life satisfaction, inviting, serving, and giving. Strong engagement and commitment are more likely to lead to high scores on these four items; weaker engagement and commitment are more likely to lead to low scores. 25

Demographics. Following the ME , respondents were asked a variety of demographic questions. A summary of the responses is included at the end of the report. Conclusion Strong congregations produce spiritually mature individuals whose lives have a positive influence on our society and 25 world. However, you can manage only what you can measure. The ME provides your congregation with a system to measure its progress, so that you can manage your congregation with greater care and clarity -- in order to create positive change in people's lives. At Gallup, it is our pleasure to be your partner in this endeavor.

Copyright © 2001 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. Page i

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Gallup ME

Member Engagement Survey Results

Trinity Lutheran Church 25

The following pages provide a summary of member responses to the Gallup ME Member Engagement Survey. The survey statements were rated on a scale which required a response from among six response categories: 5

Strongly Agree

4 3 2 1

Strongly Disagree Does Not Apply or Don't Know

The statement or dimension averages are based on a 5-point scale, with "1" being the lowest possible average and "5" being the highest average. "Does Not Apply" or "Don''t Know" responses are not scored.

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The Gallup ME Survey includes Member Engagement, Spiritual Commitment, Outcome, and Demographic items. Note the following term definitions.

GrandMeanEngagement

The average, on a 5-point scale, across Member Engagement items.

GrandMeanCommitment

The average, on a 5-point scale, across Spiritual Commitment items.

Member Engagement

The 12 items that Gallup has found to consistently link to outcomes.

Top Box

The percentage of "5" (Strongly Agree) response

Engagement Scores

The average Top Box response percentages for statements measuring each stage of the Engagement Pyramid.

Gallup 75th Percentile

The score in Gallup's overall database above which 25% of all faith communities scored.

25

Following the Member Engagement Scorecard is a listing of response percentages and average (mean) scores for the Gallup ME Survey items.

Copyright © 2001 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. Page ii

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Gallup ME

Member Engagement Survey Results

Trinity Lutheran Church

MEMBER ENGAGEMENT SCORECARD •Congregation:

Trinity Lutheran Church

•Total n:

464

Current

Gallup 75th%

Mean (Average) Score

GrandMeanEngagement GrandMeanCommitment

3.92

3.74

4.24

4.21

Top Box (%5)

Member Engagement •Learn & grow •Progress

62 23

47 18

•Best friend •Members committed to spiritual growth •Mission/Purpose •Opinions count

35 37 43 31

34 34 38 28

•Encourages spiritual development •Cares about me •Recognition •Opportunity to do best

36 50 34 36

34 47 32 33

•Spiritual needs met •Know what's expected

49 40

39 39

43

33

36

34

39

37

44

39

Engagement Scores

Copyright © 2001 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 1

• Not shown if n < 5

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Gallup ME

Member Engagement Survey Results

Member Engagement Items

Trinity Lutheran Church Sample Size

Strongly Disagree . . . Strongly Agree %1

%2

%3

%4

%5

Mean (Average) Score Past

E01. As a member of my church, I know what is expected of me.

454 22738 37525

0 2 2

4 6 6

13 21 21

43 38 38

40 34 33

4.18 3.96 3.94

E02. In my church, my spiritual needs are met.

445 23317 38142

1 2 2

3 6 6

12 19 20

35 40 39

49 33 33

4.27 3.97 3.94

E03. In my church, I regularly have the opportunity to do what I do best.

438 22493 36397

2 3 4

8 9 10

21 28 28

33 34 33

36 26 26

E04. In the last month, I have received recognition or praise from someone in my church.

416 21770 35024

9 17 19

13 18 19

17 19 20

27 21 20

34 25 23

E05. The spiritual leaders in my church seem to care about me as a person.

430 22697 36756

3 4 5

6 9 10

14 19 20

27 30 30

50 39 36

E06. There is someone in my church who encourages my spiritual development.

433 22639 36486

5 7 8

10 13 14

18 21 23

31 29 27

36 30 28

3.84 3.61 3.52

E07. As a member of my church, my opinions seem to count.

431 21346 34675

4 6 8

9 13 14

20 29 31

36 32 29

31 20 19

3.80 3.46 3.38

E08. The mission or purpose of my church makes me feel my participation is important.

438 22842 36989

2 3 4

3 7 9

16 21 23

36 36 34

43 32 30

4.15 3.86 3.77

E09. The other members of my church are committed to spiritual growth.

417 22213 35564

1 1 2

5 4 5

18 21 23

39 43 41

37 30 29

4.07 3.96 3.89

E10. Aside from family members, I have a best friend in my church.

430 22520 36403

14 19 20

16 17 17

19 16 16

16 18 18

35 30 29

E11. In the last six months, someone in my church has talked to me about the progress of my spiritual growth.

421 22310 35938

21 27 30

20 22 22

16 19 19

20 16 15

23 16 14

E12. In my church, I have opportunities to learn and grow.

440 23088 37432

1 2 3

1 4 5

9 14 17

27 34 34

62 47 41

Top Line Middle Line Bottom Line

3.92 3.70 3.68 3.63 3.20 3.11 4.14 3.91 3.82

3.43 3.22 3.17 3.04 2.72 2.61 4.50 4.20 4.05

GME= 3.92, Trinity Lutheran Church GME= 3.66, Protestant Overall GME= 3.58, ME25 Overall

Copyright © 2001 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 2

• % 1 - % 4 not shown when n < 10, % 5 and means when n < 5 ↑↓ Meaningful growth or decline (0.20 mean change)

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Gallup ME

Member Engagement Survey Results

Spiritual Commitment Items

Trinity Lutheran Church Sample Size

Strongly Disagree . . . Strongly Agree %1

%2

%3

%4

%5

Mean (Average) Score Past

C01. I spend time in worship or prayer every day.

452 23741 38951

1 4 4

11 14 13

23 24 24

26 27 26

39 31 33

C02. My faith is involved in every aspect of my life.

454 23698 38859

1 2 2

5 8 7

23 23 24

36 35 34

35 33 34

C03. Because of my faith, I have forgiven people who have hurt me deeply.

452 23365 38232

1 2 2

3 5 5

14 15 17

36 36 36

46 43 41

C04. Because of my faith, I have meaning and purpose in my life.

450 23603 38609

1 1 1

1 2 2

9 10 11

30 29 30

59 58 56

C05. My faith has called me to develop my given strengths.

446 23458 38367

1 1 1

4 4 4

14 20 20

40 38 37

41 36 37

4.17 4.04 4.03

C06. I will take unpopular stands to defend my faith.

444 23425 38293

1 1 1

2 4 4

15 19 19

39 38 38

43 38 38

4.19 4.07 4.07

C07. My faith gives me an inner peace.

447 23583 38608

0 1 1

2 2 2

8 9 10

24 30 31

66 57 56

4.53 4.39 4.37

C08. I speak words of kindness to those in need of encouragement.

452 23638 38670

0 1 1

1 1 1

8 8 9

33 38 36

58 51 53

4.47 4.37 4.38

C09. I am a person who is spiritually committed.

451 23542 38489

1 1 1

2 3 4

12 17 18

39 37 37

46 42 40

Top Line Middle Line Bottom Line

3.90 3.68 3.71 3.99 3.90 3.90 4.21 4.14 4.09 4.44 4.40 4.36

4.28 4.15 4.11

GMC= 4.24, Trinity Lutheran Church GMC= 4.13, Protestant Overall GMC= 4.12, ME25 Overall

Copyright © 2001 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 3

• % 1 - % 4 not shown when n < 10, % 5 and means when n < 5 ↑↓ Meaningful growth or decline (0.20 mean change)

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Gallup ME

Member Engagement Survey Results

Outcomes

Trinity Lutheran Church Sample Size

Strongly Disagree . . . Strongly Agree %1

%2

%3

%4

%5

O1. Overall, I am extremely satisfied with the way things are going in my personal life.

459 23676 38866

1 2 2

7 6 6

19 22 21

41 44 42

32 25 29

O2. In the last month, I have invited someone to participate in my church.

418 22431 35903

28 31 36

23 19 20

15 14 14

12 14 12

22 22 19

O3. How many volunteer hours a week do you give to help and serve others in your community?

O4. How much do you give per year to this church?

Top Line Middle Line Bottom Line

433 23433 38449

427 23009 37789

Trinity Lutheran Church Protestant ME25 Overall

Copyright © 2001 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 4

Mean (Average) Score Past 3.96 3.83 3.89 2.78 2.76 2.58

None or less 1 to less than 2 to less than 3 to less than 4 to less than than 1 hour 2 hours 3 hours 4 hours 5 hours 34 26 15 9 4 42 24 13 7 4 44 24 13 7 4 Less than $500 12 22 25

$500 to less than $1000 14 16 20

$1000 to less $2000 to less $3000 to less than $2000 than $3000 than $5000 24 19 12 17 12 13 19 12 11

5 hours or more 12 10 10 $5000 or more 19 19 14

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Gallup ME

Member Engagement Survey Results

Demographic Items

Trinity Lutheran Church Sample Size

Response Categories

446 23508 38732

Yes 76 81 82

D2. How long have you been a member of this church?

435 22063 36757

Less than 1 year 6 16 13

D3. What is your age?

447 23081 37752

18-24 1 9 8

D1. Did you attend a worship service last week?

No 24 18 18 1 to less than 3 to less than 5 to less than 3 years 5 years 10 years 6 8 23 17 14 19 14 12 18 25-34 7 14 12

10 years or more 57 33 44

35-44 16 23 23

45-54 25 25 25

55-64 20 17 17

65-74 19 13 16

Married 76 75 75

Separated 0 1 1

Divorced 7 5 5

Widowed 8 4 5

College graduate 29 34 32

Post-graduate work or degree 21 22 22

$40,000 to less than $60,000 20 17 16

$60,000 to less than $75,000 14 12 12

75+ 12 0 0

D4. What is your gender?

D5. What is your marital status?

D6. What is the highest level of education you have completed?

D7. What is your total annual household income, before taxes?

Top Line Middle Line Bottom Line

Male 38 42 41

Female 62 58 59

449 23557 38752

Single 8 14 13

Single, but living with someone as a couple 1 1 1

448 23529 38680

Less than high school graduate 1 3 3

High school graduate 16 12 15

Some college 24 22 21

Trade, technical or vocational training 9 7 7

407 22449 36529

Under $10,000 2 5 5

$10,000 to less than $20,000 4 5 5

$20,000 to less than $30,000 10 7 7

$30,000 to less than $40,000 9 9 9

$75,000 to less than $100,000 16 16 17

$100,000 or more 25 28 28

449 23593 38775

Trinity Lutheran Church Protestant ME25 Overall

Copyright © 2001 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 5

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Gallup ME

Member Engagement Survey Results

Trinity Lutheran Church

MEMBER ENGAGEMENT INDEX

Engagement(%)

46

41

13

Engaged

These members are loyal and have a strong psychological connection to their church. They are more spiritually committed, more likely to invite friends, family members, and coworkers to church events, and give more both financially and in commitment of time.

Not Engaged

These members may attend regularly, but they are not psychologically connected to their church. Their connection to the church is more social than spiritual. They give moderately but not sacrificially, and they may do a minimal amount of volunteering in the community. They are less likely to invite others and more likely to leave.

Actively Disengaged

These members usually show up only once or twice a year, if at all. They are on the membership rolls, and can tell you what church they belong to -- but may not be able to name the pastor. However, they may also be regular in their attendance. If that's the case, they are physically present but psychologically absent. They are unhappy with their church and insist on sharing that unhappiness with just about everyone.

Copyright © 2001 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 6

• Not shown if n < 5